Washing machine

ABSTRACT

A door assembly of a washing machine is disclosed, which opens and closes an inlet of the laundry. In a washing machine comprising a drum, a cabinet protecting the drum, an inlet formed on a front surface of the cabinet to throw the laundry in and out, and a door assembly provided on a front surface of the cabinet to open and close the inlet, the door assembly comprises an outer frame, a door deco connected with one surface of the outer frame, and a fitting portion selectively fixing and detaching the door deco to and from the outer frame. Since the door deco is easily fixed to the outer frame, it is possible to improve assembly performance of the door assembly. Also, the door deco can firmly be fixed to the outer frame without the space environment where the washing machine is arranged.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No.10-2005-0057822, filed on Jun. 30, 2005, which is hereby incorporated byreference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a washing machine, and moreparticularly, to a door assembly of a washing machine, which opens andcloses an inlet of the laundry.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

In general, a washer executing washing and dehydrating strokes, a drierexecuting a drying stroke, and a washer with a drying function executingwashing and drying strokes are generally designated as a washingmachine. Examples of the washing machine include a drum washing machineand a pulsator type washing machine.

The drum washing machine is to remove contaminants of the laundry usinga frictional force generated between the laundry and washing water. Tothis end, the drum washing machine is constructed to supply the washingwater and detergents contained in a detergent box into a drum afterthrowing the laundry into the drum, rotate the drum axially fixed to amotor in forward and reverse directions depending on a rotational forceof the motor to lift up the laundry, and drop the laundry due toself-load of the laundry to generate the frictional force.

Consumer demand of the drum washing machine is on an increasing trendowing to its advantages of little entanglement of laundries andexcellent washing function.

Hereinafter, a related art drum washing machine will be described withreference to FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the related art drum washing machine 1 includes amain body 2 provided with an inlet formed on a front surface, a drum(not shown) rotatably provided inside the main body 2, and a door 3rotatably provided on the front surface of the main body 2 to open andclose the inlet.

Although not shown, the main body 1 includes a tub and a motor therein.The tub surrounds the drum and receives washing water therein, and themotor is provided on a rear surface of the tub to rotate the drum.

Meanwhile, FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the door3. The door 3 includes a ring shaped outer frame 31 positioned at theoutside of the door 3, a door deco 32 of a stainless material adhered toa front surface of the outer frame 31 through an adhesive means such asa double-sided tape, a door cover 33 provided on a rear surface of theouter frame 31, a door glass 34 closely adhered to a rear surface of thedoor cover 33, and an inner frame 35 supporting the door cover 33 andthe door glass 34 to prevent them from being detached from the outerframe 31.

However, the related art drum washing machine has several problems.

First, if the door deco 32 is adhered to the outer frame 31 using adouble-sided tape or an adhesive, adhesive strength may be deteriorateddepending on the condition of the external environment, whereby the doordeco 32 may be detached from the outer frame 31.

Particularly, when considering an arrangement place of the drum washingmachine 1, the drum washing machine 1 is generally arranged in abathroom or a veranda provided with a drain outlet. Since such a placeis humid, adhesive strength of the double-sided tape or the adhesivebecomes weak as time passes. For this reason, the door deco 32 may bedetached from the outer frame 31.

In addition, the number of process steps increases due to the processstep of adhering the double-sided tape to the outer frame 31 or the doordeco 32. If something is wrong with such adhesion, an inconvenientprocess step of newly adhering a new double-sided tape to the outerframe or the door deco may repeatedly be required. This could lead todeterioration of productivity.

Finally, since the door deco 32 is made of a stainless material, theproduction cost is expensive, whereby the cost of the finished productincreases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a washing machine thatsubstantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations anddisadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a washing machineprovided with a door assembly, in which a door deco can firmly be fixedto an outer frame during a door assembly process and process steps canbe reduced to enhance productivity.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will beset forth in part in the description which follows and in part willbecome apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art uponexamination of the following or may be learned from practice of theinvention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may berealized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in thewritten description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, in awashing machine comprising a drum, a cabinet protecting the drum, aninlet formed on a front surface of the cabinet to throw the laundry inand out, and a door assembly provided on a front surface of the cabinetto open and close the inlet, the door assembly comprises an outer frame,a door deco connected with one surface of the outer frame, and a fittingportion selectively fixing and detaching the door deco to and from theouter frame.

Preferably, the outer frame is connected with an inner frame on itsother surface, and the fitting portion simultaneously connects the innerframe, the outer frame and the door deco with one another through ascrew.

Preferably, the fitting portion includes a fitting boss formed in thedoor deco, having a through hole, an insertion boss formed in the outerframe, into which the fitting boss is inserted, and a screw insertedinto the through hole of the fitting boss.

Preferably, the inner frame includes a fitting hole at a corner, thefitting portion includes a fitting boss formed in the door deco, havinga through hole, an insertion boss formed in the outer frame, into whichthe fitting boss is inserted, and a screw inserted into the through holeof the fitting boss by passing through the fitting hole of the innerframe.

Preferably, the outer frame further includes a through holecorresponding to the fitting hole, and the fitting portion includes afitting boss formed in the door deco, passing though the through hole,and a screw inserted into the through hole of the fitting boss bypassing through the fitting hole formed in the inner frame.

Also, the door deco further includes a hook, and the outer frame furtherincludes a hook hole into which the hook is fitted.

In another aspect of the present invention, in a washing machinecomprising a drum, a cabinet protecting the drum, an inlet formed on afront surface of the cabinet to throw the laundry in and out, and a doorassembly provided on a front surface of the cabinet to open and closethe inlet, wherein the door assembly comprises an outer frame providedwith a hook hole, a door deco provided with a hook inserted into thehook hole of the outer frame, and an inner frame fixed to the outerframe by a screw.

In other aspect of the present invention, a door assembly of a washingmachine comprises an outer frame, a door deco connected with one side ofthe outer frame, and a fitting portion selectively fixing and detachingthe door deco to and from the outer frame.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a related art drum washingmachine;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a door assemblyprovided in a related art drum washing machine;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a door assembly provided in arelated art drum washing machine;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a door assemblyprovided in a drum washing machine according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a door assembly provided in adrum washing machine according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a hook fitting structure of adoor assembly of a drum washing machine according to the firstembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating a door assembly of a drumwashing machine according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

A door assembly of a drum washing machine according to the firstembodiment of the present invention will be described in detail withreference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 4, a door assembly 40 includes a ring shaped outerframe 41 rotatably arranged at the front of a drum washing machine 1(see FIG. 1) and provided with a plurality of insertion bosses 411, adoor deco 42 provided with a plurality of fitting bosses 421 insertedinto the insertion bosses 411 to be fixed to a front surface of theouter frame 41, a door cover 43 covering a central hole 412 of the outerframe 41 fixed to the door deco 42 from a rear surface of the outerframe 41, a door glass 44 closely adhered to a corner of the door cover43, and an inner frame 45 fixed to the outer frame 41 at the rear of thedoor glass 44 so as not to avoid detachment of the door glass 44.

Preferably, the corner of the door deco 42 is provided with a pluralityof hooks 422, and the outer frame 41 is provided with hook holes 413 sothat the hooks 422 can be hooked in the hook holes 413.

Meanwhile, each of the insertion bosses 411 of the outer frame 41includes a guide 411 a guiding the fitting bosses 421 formed in the doordeco 42, and a through hole 411 b formed at the end of the guide 411 a.

Furthermore, the door deco 42 is preferably made of a synthetic resinmaterial, and the fitting bosses 421 are formed on the rear surface ofthe outer frame 41 to correspond to the insertion bosses 411 of theouter frame 41.

Furthermore, the door cover 43 is preferably made of a transparentmaterial to check an inner state of a drier.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the door glass 44 is provided with aflange 44 along its outer circumference and has a recessed vessel shape.In the same manner as the door cover 43, the door glass 44 is preferablymade of a transparent material to check the inner state of the drier.

At this time, door glass 44 is more preferably made of a transparentglass to endure a high temperature inside the drier.

The inner frame 45 has a ring shape corresponding to the rear surface ofthe outer frame 41, and is provided with a fitting hole 451 at thecorner, wherein the fitting hole 451 is formed so that the fitting boss421 of the door deco 42 corresponds to the through hole 411 b of theouter frame 41.

Meanwhile, a gasket 46 is preferably interposed between the door glass44 and the inner frame 45 to enhance adhesive strength.

The assembly process of the aforementioned door assembly 40 according tothe first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

First, the fitting bosses 421 of the door deco 42 are inserted into theinsertion bosses 411 of the outer frame 41. At this time, the door deco42 is provisionally fitted into the outer frame 41 as a hook 322 formedin the door deco 42 is fitted into a hook hole 413 of the outer frame41.

At this time, a screw hole 421 a of each fitting boss 421 is coincidentwith the through hole 411 b of each insertion boss 411. Afterwards, aworker can conveniently connect the outer frame 41 with the inner frame45, wherein the door deco 42 is fixed to the outer frame 41.

The structure that the hook 422 of the door deco 42 is hooked in thehook hole 413 of the outer frame 41 can be used for the provisionalassembly of the door deco 42 and the outer frame 41, and also can beused as a single coupling structure excluding a screw couplingstructure.

Meanwhile, the door cover 43 covers the central hole 412 from the rearsurface of the outer frame 41, wherein the central hole 412 is formed atthe center of the outer frame 41.

Also, the flange 44 a of the door glass 44 is closely adhered to thecorner of the door cover 43.

The gasket 46 is fitted along the corner of the flange 44 a, and theinner frame 45 matches the fitting hole 451 with the through hole 411 bof the outer frame 41 while closely adhering the gasket 46 to the flange44 a.

Next, the fitting hole 451 of the inner frame 45 matches with thethrough hole 411 b of the outer frame 41 and the fitting boss 421 of thedoor deco 42. The fitting hole 451 is assembled by a screw so that theassembly process of the door assembly 40 is completed.

While the screw coupling structure of the door deco 42, the outer frame41 and the inner frame 45 has been described, the assembly process ofthe door assembly 40 may be completed even though the door deco 42 isfixed to the inner frame 45. The coupling structure of the door deco 42and the inner frame 45 is suggested as the second embodiment of thepresent invention and will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

In the door assembly 40 according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention, the outer frame 41 is provided with a plurality ofthrough holes 41 a, and the door deco 42 is provided with a plurality offitting bosses 421 inserted through the through holes 41 a. Also, theinner frame 45 is provided with a plurality of fitting holes 451corresponding to the fitting bosses 421.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 7, the fitting bosses 421 of the doordeco 42 match with the fitting holes 451 of the inner frame 45 bypassing through the through holes 411 b formed in the outer frame 41. Inthis structure, the outer frame 41 does not provide a separate couplingstructure but is interposed between the door deco 42 and the inner frame45.

The aforementioned coupling structure according to the second embodimentof the present invention simplifies the assembly process of the doorassembly 40 to improve assembly performance.

As described above, the washing machine according to the preferredembodiment of the present invention has the following advantages.

Since the door deco is fixed to the outer frame by the screw and/or thehook, the number of the process steps of the door assembly is reduced,and the washing machine can be arranged without limitation according tothe space environment.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, itis intended that the present invention covers the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A washing machine comprising a drum, a cabinet protecting the drum,an inlet formed on a front surface of the cabinet to throw the laundryin and out, and a door assembly provided on a front surface of thecabinet to open and close the inlet, wherein the door assemblycomprises: an outer frame; a door deco connected with one surface of theouter frame; and a fitting portion selectively fixing and detaching thedoor deco to and from the outer frame.
 2. The washing machine as claimedin claim 1, wherein the outer frame is further connected with an innerframe on its other surface, and the fitting portion simultaneouslyconnects the inner frame, the outer frame and the door deco with oneanother through a screw.
 3. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1,wherein the fitting portion includes: a fitting boss formed in the doordeco, having a through hole; an insertion boss formed in the outerframe, into which the fitting boss is inserted; and a screw insertedinto the through hole of the fitting boss.
 4. The washing machine asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the inner frame includes a fitting hole at acorner.
 5. The washing machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein thefitting portion includes: a fitting boss formed in the door deco, havinga through hole; an insertion boss formed in the outer frame, into whichthe fitting boss is inserted; and a screw inserted into the through holeof the fitting boss by passing through the fitting hole of the innerframe.
 6. The washing machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the outerframe further includes a through hole corresponding to the fitting hole.7. The washing machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fittingportion includes: a fitting boss formed in the door deco, passing thoughthe through hole; and a screw inserted into the through hole of thefitting boss by passing through the fitting hole formed in the innerframe.
 8. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the doordeco further includes a hook, and the outer frame further includes ahook hole into which the hook is fitted.
 9. A washing machine comprisinga drum, a cabinet protecting the drum, an inlet formed on a frontsurface of the cabinet to throw the laundry in and out, and a doorassembly provided on a front surface of the cabinet to open and closethe inlet, wherein the door assembly comprises: an outer frame providedwith a hook hole; a door deco provided with a hook inserted into thehook hole of the outer frame; and an inner frame fixed to the outerframe by a screw.
 10. A door assembly of a washing machine, comprising:an outer frame; a door deco connected with one side of the outer frame;and a fitting portion selectively fixing and detaching the door deco toand from the outer frame.